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What We Know About The UFC Fight Island Set Up So Far

What We Know About The UFC Fight Island Set Up So Far

UFC 251 is the first event to take place on Dana White's infamous Fight Island in Abu Dhabi, and things are starting to become real.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

Dana White has been talking about Fight Island since the beginning of April and finally the first event will take place on Saturday, in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

The UFC president lined up Fight Island in order to make sure he could have fights involving non US based fighters and UFC 251 will be the first event, and it's stacked.

We won't get a full look at the set up until the weekend but fighters, and others, have started posting pictures from their rooms since arriving in Abu Dhabi, and having a second Covid-19 test, having first been tested before flying out.

An 11km part of Yas Island is now considered a 'safe-zone' for UFC to run events up until July 26th, with 2500 people being housed over the four event period.

Abu Dhabi-based staff were in 14-day hotel room quarantine from June 19th and all had three COVID-19 tests during that period. While they were in isolation, a 740-strong crew constructed the venue and competition area, a press release from the Abu Dhabi department of culture and tourism confirmed.

The 'Flash Forum' is the venue for all four events UFC are putting on the island, UFC 251 and three Fight Nights, and the arena is air conditioned.

On entering fighters, commentators and officials will go through a mist tunnel that will kill 99% of surface bacteria, to keep everything santisied.

The Flash Forum being set up ahead of Saturday night. Image: UFC
The Flash Forum being set up ahead of Saturday night. Image: UFC

To some, the fact that Fight Island ended up on Yas Island and the fights will be inside will come as a bit of a disappointment.

When White first started talking about the prospect of the venue he kept everything close to his chest but suggested that it would be on a remote island with the octagon on the beach.

Fortunately a second octagon has been built on Yas Beach for the fighters' 'enjoyment' and it is being sanitised to the same level as the one used for competition so may well end up being used for training.

UFC 251 will have three title fights with Petr Yan and Jose Aldo fighting for the bantamweight title that Henry Cejudo vacated when he retired after UFC 249 in May.

In the co-main event Max Holloway gets his rematch for the featherweight title Alexander Volkanovski beat him for back in December at UFC 245.

Finally in the main event Jorge Masvidal gets his chance at Kamaru Usman's welterweight title, having stepped in with six days notice to replace Gilbert Burns, after the Brazilian tested positive for Covid-19.

Who do you think walks away from Yas Island with the titles? Let us know in the comments.

To see all of Usman's and Masvidal's fights, subscribe to Fight Pass, where you'll get access to every UFC fight ever, plus behind the scenes exclusives and original content that can't be found anywhere else.

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Topics: Fight Island, Jorge Masvidal, UFC News, MMA News, Max Holloway, UFC 251, UFC, jose aldo, MMA, Dana White, Kamaru Usman